No guns allowed at Portillos in Merrillville

[Hotdoger]

I am certifiably addicted to Portillos. The dogs and the big beefs. This might cause me to convert entirely to Pop's. I've had less than pleasant experiences the last three visits to Portillos in Mville but I still go to the one in Crestwood quite a bit. In Indiana though I've been going to Pops cause the service at Mville Portillos is terrible.

Maybe if I'm feeling bold I'll go find out what that's all about over there, if there was an incident or whatnot. It's a chicago based restaurant chain, I think Mville is their only Indiana store. I have a feeling it's probably the district management or someone that isn't from the area that has grown up in King Daley's backyard and feels threatened by armed citizens.

I think I've gone there only once without a gun IWB. That was because it was in my pocket.

edit: https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...uns_allowed_at_portillos_in_merrillville.html

"The chicago Way" is a disease that should be stamped out everywhere!

 

[danmdevries]

Just read in the paper that there's been a string of armed robberies in that area in the last couple weeks.

I have a feeling this is probably connected with that.

So, now that Portillos has advertised that they are easy prey, I wouldn't be surprised if they're next or if they haven't been hit already. Whomever is behind the armed robberies is pretty bold. The hooters around the corner from Portillos had a hole cut in the roof, robber went in and waited for employees to come in and turn off the alarm, then committed armed robbery and left.

I haven't been out that way, when I do I'll ask the manager if I can. My past experiences there however have been that the manager doesn't give a rats behind about customer concerns.

 

[Ness2k]

[FONT=&quot]Thank you for your email. While we understand and appreciate that you want to protect yourself, we are concerned that other persons may not have proper weapon training or may use the weapon in the heat of an argument. Unfortunately, we have had several arguments between different customers where the police were called to intervene. Since our managers are trained in how to run a restaurant and not police work, we feel that this is the best solution for both our customers and staff.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Thank you for your feedback. We hope that you will reconsider and simply leave your firearm in your car when you visit our establishment.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Sincerely[/FONT][FONT=&quot],[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Kerry L. Martin[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Guest Services[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The Portillo Restaurant Group[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]2001 Spring Road, [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Suite 500[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Oak Brook, IL 60523[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](630) 954-3773 Ph.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](630) 684-0414 Fax

I don't even know where to start, so I'm not.
[/FONT]

 

[Beau]

I don't even know where to start, so I'm not.
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I wonder if it would be worth it to write a response to their response. I love how they feel that if someone gets mad they will just pull a gun and start shooting. Not that it couldn't happen. Just not likely.

 

[BrianX]

Apparently you haven visited Merrillville much. Many people in that area also feel that belts are too much of a weapon to carry with them at all times, so they leave it at home as well. That type of problem is commonplace in this area.

Thank you so much for this, you made my Morning!

I'm a Merrillville native and can attest to the lack of people weilding belts up there... I should apply for MPD, seeing as chances are that perps more-than-likely wouldn't make it very far..

 

[ryknoll3]

I was at the Portillo's in Merrillville this evening and specifically looked for a sign prohibiting carrying "weapons" and didn't see anything of the sort. Maybe they got some more complaints and took it down. =)

 

[ryknoll3]

Went there tonight for dinner and there was no sign like that on the door. Maybe they got some complaints and took it down. =)

 

[Bill of Rights]

Two threads merged.

 

[Prometheus]

Went there tonight for dinner and there was no sign like that on the door. Maybe they got some complaints and took it down. =)

I hope they did. Did you OC?

 

[labrat]

I've cc'ed there three times since the sign went up without incident. Glad to see it has been removed.

 

[MuncieKat]

I was there yesterday and also looked for the sign. Could not find it. Walked around the circular door several times looking for it!

 

[ATM]

Maybe they got tired of seeing all the armed people standing outside the door eating Potbellies sandwiches and waving at them.

 

[Clif45]

So will the people who refused to go there due to the no weapons sign start to return to do business with portillos again? My girlfriend was pretty upset that I refused to dine in their establishment with the sign, but is happy to hear that it has been removed, so I guess it looks like I will be heading to merrillvile again. Wwill some of you guys still refuse to go just because they did have the sign, or will you resume your dining to however much you went there before the sign?

 

[Prometheus]

If they changed their policy I'll go back without reservations.

That said, there is only one way to really find out... I'll go in with the wife and kids OC in the next week or two and see what happens.

FWIW Portillos has lost a lot of my business already. I occasionally work in OakLawn right by their bigger store. I would get lunch there all the time (one of the pluses of going there I would say), I'd also sometimes buy for my dept too. I haven't spent a penny in that Portillos since and there is also a Potbellies down the road that has seen a big increase in business because of it.

 

[wizard]

I have sent an e-mail explaining my objection. And why they will lose my business. Lake of dollars is something they might listen to. If we just quit going without telling them what we think they will never hear our message. Doesn't do any good just to tell each other. Even if they don't respond it still sends a message
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[Wild Deuce]

Just found this thread.

We ate there (Portillo's in Merrilville) about two hours ago.

We were forced to use the side door as we left since a couple employees were busy cleaning the revolving door glass. I turned around to hold the door open for the lady behind me. I glanced down and there it was. A sign about knee level warning me that firearms are not allowed even with a permit and that violators would be escorted off the property and prosecuted for trespass.

I've been fuming ever since. It was lousy of them to post the sign so low to the ground and on the opposite side of the revolving door. I would have been happy to oblige them and take my money elsewhere.

 

[Jubbie]

If the sign was that low, then it's only meant to keep midgets from carrying. You have to be over 4'6" to carry there.

 

[Wild Deuce]

Used their contact form to send them this:

Our family has been eating at Portillo's for over twelve years now. It has become a tradition that we either eat at Portillo's to celebrate a birthday or purchase one of your famous Chocolate cakes ... sometimes we do both. To illustrate, one winter we drove almost two hours roundtrip through one of NW Indiana's famous lake effect snowstorms just to get our anniversary chocolate cake from Portillo's.

You can imagine our disappointment today when we found out that we are no longer welcome at Portillo's. Today, I noticed for the first time that you have a discriminatory "No Firearms" policy at your Merrillville, IN location. I also noticed that it is not just a passive policy but an aggressive one that threatens an escort off the property and prosecution for trespass.

I did some research online and found some of your previous responses to other law abiding, license/permit holders that share the same concerns as we do. I understand that you are based in Illinois where it is very hard (nearly impossible) to understand the concept of Freedom and how intricately that concept is woven with the Right to Bear Arms. Even though handgun license/permit holders are one of the most law abiding and responsible subsets of American society, it seems that you are determined to continue this discriminatory policy. Sadly, this means we will no longer be able to patronize your establishment. When your corporation leadership decides to change their approach to law-abiding citizens and decides to respect their rights, we will consider returning.

In the meantime, we will be passing this information on to the rest of the gun owning community via blogs, forums and word-of-mouth.
​

Now, if there were only more of us. Better yet, if our brethern over in Illinois (where there are literally dozens of Portillo's) would help out ... Naw .... Yawn .... What's on American Idol tonight?

 

[jbombelli]

Somebody should go in there and rob them, and thank them for putting that sign up.

 

[spec4]

Let me tell you; I'm from Illinois and DO NOT think Indiana people are stupid. In fact, next week I am leaving Illinois to live in Indiana. I voted with my feet to get out of this corrupt, bankrupt, peoples republik.